Chapter 3: Tough Choices

The next day wasn't easy for Kazuki.

Ever since the battle with the demons, Tamayo, Yushiro, and Kazuki were forced to relocate to another place. They didn't want to risk getting ambushed by another demon.

However, that was the least of the young boy's worries, as he was currently feeling frustrated about something. He didn't know what it was, but whenever he remembered the strong bond between the Kamado siblings, he couldn't help but feel disgusted... betrayed.

In the deepest parts of his heart, though, he was desperate to have something similar. Something that was lost a long time ago. He wanted to regain it.

As Kazuki finished dismantling his food cart, he slowly made his way back to Tamayo's destroyed clinic, feeling the cold wind of the night. He walked, eyes glued to the ground. The night was still young as the moonlight shone from above.

"Kazuki?"

His eyes widened, feeling an all too familiar demonic presence on his back. He quickly turned around, sword ready on his hip, only to ease his posture when he saw the lone figure of Tamayo, carrying a basket—which looked a little too big for a woman of her size—full of new medical appliances.

"Tamayo-san?!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Tamayo said, lightly bowing her head.

"Ah... it's fine," Kazuki said, quickly recovering from the sudden encounter. "What are you doing here? You should return to the clinic, where it's safe."

Tamayo chuckled, appreciating his concern. "It's okay, Yushiro already placed a few of his tags all over the district. He will warn me if there is any sort of trouble. And also, it would be better for me to keep moving, right? After all, Muzan already knows where I've been hiding."

"And Yushiro?" he replied with a frown.

"Finding a new place for us to settle down. Probably near Akihabara."

Kazuki remembered that most of Tamayo's medical tools got destroyed alongside her clinic—courtesy of the demons sent by Muzan—so she would definitely be in need of new tools. He hummed, before nodding slowly, understanding her reasoning. "I see..."

Tamayo tilted her head and frowned, noticing that something was off about the boy. Kazuki didn't know it, but he seemed way more distressed ever since the Kamado siblings left the state.

"Is something on your mind? You usually don't tremble this much."

Kazuki's eyes widened, surprised by the woman's keen observation. He found himself at a loss for words, unable to respond to her question, which did little to ease her worries.

"We can talk about it once we return to the clinic," she said in a tone that left room for no arguments.

Kazuki found his words dying inside his throat and just nodded. There was too much going on inside of his mind that he found trouble getting the right words out of his mouth.

However, even with all the turmoil on his mind, there were still things that didn't escape from his sight.

"Tamayo-san, let me carry that basket for you."

Tamayo raised an eyebrow and looked at him with slight amusement. "I'm fine Kazuki, really, I can carry all of this by myself."

Kazuki blushed in embarrassment. "I know that! The thing is..." He leaned to the woman's ear and whispered. "Everyone is glaring at me like I'm a damn pig..."

Tamayo tilted her head, not understanding his distress. She started to look at her surroundings and saw that the local citizens were glaring at Kazuki disapprovingly. She could perfectly carry this all by herself because of her demonic strength, but she understood that this didn't leave a good image on the boy. Of course, this was because, on the outside, it looked like a frail woman was carrying a very big basket alongside a perfectly healthy young man who was doing nothing.

Yushiro would kill Kazuki if he saw that he was handing all the work to her.

She chuckled slightly, knowing that Kazuki's silly pride could get him worked up in the silliest situations. She set the basket down and stepped away from it. "Very well, you can help me with it."

Kazuki sighed in relief and knelt down, trying to lift it up himself. He felt a sting on his back when he tried to pull up, as the weight of the basket went fully on his entire body.

'There's definitely more than just medical appliances here!' Kazuki growled internally as he struggled to lift the basket. 'Tamayo-san does tend to buy everything she sees...'

Tamayo started to get worried seeing that he was struggling with getting that basket off the ground. "Y-You sure that you can carry that on your own?"

"This? Oh, of course, let me just-" Kazuki said before taking a deep breath and finally pulling that basket up to his chest. "Give it a quick lift...!"

He puffed some air out of his body as he tried to keep his balance, he felt sweat coming down his forehead and his face burning red from the pressure. The basket was very heavy, but it wasn't like it would kill him.

Tamayo panicked as she looked tempted to yank the basket away from him. "Are you sure you don't want me to carry it?!"

Kazuki nodded through gritted teeth. "Yeah look... can we move now?"

Tamayo reluctantly nodded, and they both went on their way back to the clinic. No one said anything to each other, which was... kind of awkward as Kazuki couldn't even bear to look her in the eye.

He knew he could trust everything to Tamayo because she was the closest thing he had to a mother. However, he would wait until they arrived at the clinic.

"We're here."

Kazuki snapped back into reality, not knowing that he'd just phased through Yushiro's intangible wall. He was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't even feel the numbness on both of his arms. Tamayo made a few glances towards him but she didn't say anything. There wasn't any need to.

They made their way to the basement, where a bunch of bags with various medicines can be seen, alongside types of clothes. All they needed before leaving was a new safehouse, which Yushiro was taking care of.

"You can leave the basket alongside the bag," Tamayo said, taking a seat on the floor. She patted the spot beside her. "Take a seat once you're done."

Kazuki nodded, albeit reluctantly. He knew he had to talk to Tamayo, but where could he possibly start? How could he explain his problem? Would she understand?

He sighed in resignation. He'd just have to wait and see.

Kazuki went and placed the basket beside the bags, feeling an immediate sense of relief as he felt the weight on his hands reducing. He stretched his back, eyes looking at the ceiling. He was still reluctant to talk, but there was nothing he could do now.

He went to Tamayo and took a seat beside her.

"So, what's the problem?" she asked, her voice gentle and caring. "You can talk to me whenever you want, I won't be going anywhere."

Kazuki didn't say anything. He was still figuring out what to say, what he could say, what he needed to say to lift the weight from his chest. He didn't say anything for a couple of minutes, which felt like hours to him.

Finally, he took a deep breath and mustered his courage to talk to Tamayo. No secrets, he owed her that much.

"Do you remember what I told you about my brother?" Kazuki said, quickly getting his guardian's attention. "I… just don't understand. These family bonds, they hurt when I see them but at the same time, they make me feel... funny on the inside. Maybe I'm crazy... I don't know, to be honest."

He looked directly at her with pleading eyes. "Why can't I just…let it go?"

Every word that came out of Kazuki's mouth felt like a chore. He wanted answers, he needed answers.

Tamayo didn't say anything; she just looked to the side, seemingly thinking about something. She stood up, hand cupped under her chin. Each passing second, her face seemed to grow somber. That was... weird. Kazuki found her actions unusual to how she normally acted.

"Tamayo-san?" he asked, trying to get the attention of the woman.

The woman in question seemed to snap out of her daze as she turned back to look at him, a sad look on her face. It seemed that she was reminiscing about painful memories. She went back and sat next to Kazuki again, this time more composed.

"I'm uh-" She coughed, words stuck in her throat, then took a deep breath. "I'm going to tell you what happened to me four hundred years ago."

Kazuki blinked, unsure where she was going with this. He nodded, letting the woman get her point across.

She bit her lower lip before she spoke again. "It all started 400 years ago, in the midst of the Sengoku Era..."

And as Tamayo told her story, her calm facade started to break and she started to shiver from the painful memories.

She told Kazuki everything. How she fell ill with cancer, how she desperately sought medicine, how she was tricked by Muzan.

The way she killed her family.

Each second that passed, Kazuki felt his heart getting heavier and Tamayo probably felt no different. The things that she had to go through, it was not a weight anyone should carry. It almost seemed like a horror tale that some of those crazy Matagi hunters would tell you. Almost.

But part of him was glad that Tamayo told this to him now. Had she revealed this 3 years ago, Kazuki wouldn't even have hesitated to strike her down. However, after all the things she did for him—all the support and love he didn't deserve, yet she gave—the least he could do was believe her.

She was a good person, not a heartless monster, and Kazuki knew this.

But still, was there any point for Tamayo to tell him all of this? Was there a reason as to why she should drop this bombshell on him so suddenly?

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Tamayo-san," Kazuki finally said, eyes soft as he twiddled his thumbs.

Tamayo's face twitched, doing her best to not break her calm demeanor. "I still see them in my memories, begging me to stop…" She took a deep breath, composing herself. "My point is that you can never let go of old wounds. Even if you try to heal them and move on, the scars will still remain, and those scars will often sting."

He knew that.

He knew that so damn well.

It was the reason why he had been distressed for three whole years, why he never smiled, why he was always sick when seeing someone having a healthy relationship with their siblings.

"I know that..." Kazuki said, face solemn. "Tamayo-san...after all of that has happened to you, how can you still smile? Every time I see you helping others, being kind to Yushiro and me, you always seem to have this aura of...hope. W-Why? How do you do it?"

"Let me tell you something Kazuki..." Tamayo said, her voice as soft as a feather. "When I reached rock bottom, I thought that it was the end for me. I had no goals, no hope, I was an empty shell, until one day everything changed. There was someone, a symbol, that taught me that not all hope is lost, someone so strong that his legacy is on a never-ending hunt against Muzan."

"Tsugukuni Yoriichi, am I right?"

She nodded. "Yes, you are right, thanks to him I regained the flame of hope that was lost to me. After all, when you reach rock bottom, you can only go up."

Kazuki arched an eyebrow. "Do I... have to reach rock bottom to do something about my life?"

Tamayo turned to him horrified, offended even. "What?! Of course not! This is exactly why I wanted to have this talk with you. You don't have to experience something so horrible."

Kazuki blinked, surprised by her outburst. Definitely a bad time to even think about making snarky comments like that.

She sighed. "Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is because, despite all the tragedies that this world brings to you and will still bring, you still need to have the courage to keep moving. Life is full of pain, but there's also love and beauty."

Move forward?

Could he really do something as dreamy as moving forward? There was just so much going on inside of his mind... so much turmoil. He just needed more time to think and organize his thoughts.

But he knew that it had been three years since he had been organizing his thoughts.

Kazuki lay down on the floor, looking at the ceiling, hands folded on his chest. Even if it was considered bad manners, Tamayo just let him do his thing, which was greatly appreciated.

"What am I going to do now?" he said, voice devoid of emotion.

"It is ultimately your decision, but I recommend that you talk to your brother."

There was finality in her voice, almost like a thunderclap, so at odds and different from the creaking wooden floor and hot air that it almost felt like a slap in the face. Kazuki's eyes were wide behind his glasses.

His first response was instantaneous. "I don't know about that… I don't-"

"You're afraid," Tamayo stated, her voice hitting Kazuki like a pile of bricks to the head. He turned away, not wanting to see her in the face.

Tamayo smiled, placing both hands on her lap. "It's okay to be afraid, Kazuki. You've been staying with us for three whole years, and telling you to face the fears from your past that suddenly may seem ridiculous, but… don't resent the only family member you have left. Family is one of the most precious treasures."

She sounded... hurt when she uttered those last words. Kazuki couldn't blame her, having no family members left in the world and seeing him hating on his brother is probably hurting her.

His only family...

She was wrong, Kazuki had a family right here, in Asakusa. To just leave them to find a man that caused so much pain seems like a fool's errand.

So why did a part of him still want to confront his brother? It might be out of anger, or sadness, he didn't know... but it was certainly the source of his troubles.

"I don't even know where he is," Kazuki muttered, his tone spitting venom like a dam. He took a seat, facing Tamayo directly.

"That won't be a problem, as you know, I have been in contact with the corps for quite a while. I can arrange a meeting."

He really needed to stop making such pathetic excuses.

He scowled, clenching both of his hands. "Even if I knew where he was, I don't think I'm ready to forgive him..."

"From what I've heard from the corps, your brother is a very good man. You just have to try."

Trying for something that might hurt him to the point of no return? Would it really be worth going on a journey because of that? To leave everything that he had here?

"Promise me, Kazuki," Tamayo pleaded, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Promise me that you will forgive him."

It was definitely wishful thinking on her part, but it wasn't something Kazuki wanted to refuse from the get-go.

Did he want to go? Not in a million years. Did he need to go? Maybe.

Tamayo wasn't forcing him to do anything directly on him, but she was doing it indirectly. If Kazuki went on his journey, he would need to be prepared to face the unknown and his past. If he decided not to go, then his decision would hurt Tamayo badly... he hated having to hurt her.

She wasn't making this easy.

"I-I can't promise to the moon Tamayo-san," Kazuki blurted out, an apple lodging in his throat. "If I promise you this, wouldn't you be forcing me to do something I don't want to do? Aren't you placing your wishes in me to carry on?"

He stood up, his lips trembling while facing his guardian with a harsh glare. "Don't you think this is only yourself being selfish...?"

The woman looked down. "You are absolutely right."

There. That should do it.

"Then-"

"But... Every single day, your brother is out there risking his life for humanity. He could die any day, at any time while you are serving bowls of udon here in Tokyo. You are wasting the precious time you could spend with your real family, your real brethren." Tamayo said, her calm facade breaking as her eyes started to well up. "I would have done everything in my power to have a member of my family with me still, so don't waste this opportunity... b-because of pride! Please, I've seen it destroy too many families."

There it was, the face that Kazuki hated to see. She didn't break down, luckily, but the way she was trembling and clenching her kimono tightly was a dead giveaway to how she was feeling now. She was hurt... very hurt, and it was all his fault.

Even if Tamayo was indirectly forcing him to go and face his fears, it wasn't something he wanted to do from the get-go. Maybe if he did take this journey, he would learn how to open up to his brother and find the answers he sought... even if it hurt like hell.

It took a very long time for him to open up to Tamayo, and much more time to Yushiro: who said that he wouldn't take the same time or longer with the slayers? Worse to the man that left to play hero with the corps. It was a gamble, a huge one, but something he had to do if he wanted to ease the turmoil inside of his mind.

He could use this journey to get used to the demon-slaying business, and then... face the worst. He just needed time.

It was decided.

Kazuki sighed, easing up his posture as he took a seat next to Tamayo. She was looking at him expectantly, the silence of the room suffocating her.

He gulped, feeling nauseous all of a sudden. "W-Will this journey be worth it?"

Tamayo's eyes lit up but she kept her cool, maintaining her composure. "I can't assure that it will be. That is up for you to decide."

Of course, he could decide which course of action to take in his journeys. It was the consequences of those actions that made it hard to determine its worth.

Kazuki sighed.

"Then... I will try to forgive him Tamayo-san... if that makes you feel better."

Her lips curved upwards, an action that left Kazuki dumbfounded.

"That's all I ask."

He was so dazed by Tamayo's angelic smile that he forgot she was patting his head.

Leaving his home was not easy for Kazuki, especially when he grew a strong bond with Tamayo and Yushiro. As Kazuki was packing his bags, he felt doubt every second, wondering if he made the right choice. Not like he could change that now; if he wanted to ease the turmoil inside of his mind, he had to do this.

There wasn't much to pack, only the essentials like just one spare of clothes and small provisions of rice balls. Tamayo said that he should only take one pair of clothes because the corps would provide him with a uniform suited for fighting, provided he passed their test.

Tamayo was insistent that Kazuki should change his current clothing style, much to his dismay. The reason for this was because he shouldn't fight demons with only a yukata, which could easily be broken by normal demon attacks.

She wasn't wrong. Kazuki had trouble keeping his clothing in place when he fought against Yahaba, so this was a welcome change.

He wore a white hippari style kimono with blue oval-shaped snowflake ornaments. Under his kimono, a black vest could be found, followed by black pants and white tabi socks on his lower half.

There was nothing else to pack now. It was time to leave for the town of Urawa, near Mt Natagumo where he was supposed to meet with the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps to see what became of him. Tamayo didn't lie when she said she had contacts with the corps. Then again, that was how he got his sword in the first place.

Kazuki sighed, standing in front of his guardian and 'step-brother' in the basement of their old clinic. His bag was in his hand, ready to go on his journey.

Yushiro had managed to find a new place for them to stay in Akihabara. It was a little bit cramped and unstable, but it was what they managed to get because Tamayo said that she was short on cash. The demon boy said that the place was so old that he could feel the dust filling up his lungs.

All of this didn't make sense to Kazuki.

For the past few days, Tamayo always lacked money for some unknown reason, and she didn't accept any of Kazuki's own money from selling his udon which was... certainly strange. Sure, she had to pay for all of her medical supplies which got destroyed by the demons, but that was easily replaceable. She was a doctor, and a very good one at that, she should've had a lot of money in her pocket to get herself a decent place to stay. So why didn't she?

Not like it mattered at this point, he had to leave this place now.

"Then, I'll be off," Kazuki said, bowing his head low.

"Wait Kazuki!" Tamayo said as she raised her hand. "Before you go, there's something I want to give you."

Kazuki perked up, wondering what the woman wanted to give him.

She whistled.

"Meow!"

Kazuki blinked, hearing a familiar feline sound from the back. He heard a few pounces falling from the ceiling and then a few rapid steps coming towards him. Then it appeared, a tricolor calico cat, its big amber eyes staring at the white-haired boy.

He knew exactly who this cat was. He was starting to miss it because of its absence in the past few days. Did it ever eat anything?

"Chachamaru? So, you were hiding here all along?" Kazuki mused, causing the feline to tilt its head. The cat jumped onto his shoulder and then started to nuzzle his face. The boy recoiled back at the sudden display of affection from the animal. "Hey, stop that!"

Tamayo giggled amused by the cat's actions. "I want you to take her on your journey. I trust you're okay with it?"

"I should be the one asking that. How would you send messages in the first place?"

"I can find another cat, don't worry about it," Tamayo said, quickly reassuring the boy. Her eyes then lit up, as if she remembered something. "That reminds me, there's something else I want to give you. I think it is over here..."

She started to dig into her sleeve and pulled out a small object, a black case with two round circles. She opened, revealing two small transparent objects. Kazuki tilted his head as he was a little distracted by the sight of his reflection from the glassy objects.

His eyes widened as realization struck him—this was no mere piece of glass!

"Those are-"

Yushiro, who was also watching, yanked the object out of Tamayo's hand to get a good look at it, an action that would never cross his mind unless it was something of huge importance.

Kazuki could see the shocked expression on his face as he gawked at the object.

"CONTACT LENSES?!" Yushiro howled, making Tamayo and Kazuki recoil back. "I-I read that they were only available in Europe. To find them here... Tamayo-sama, this must have cost a fortune!"

Oh.

So that's why Tamayo always seemed to have less money than she normally should! Contact lenses in Japan were nonexistent. To find them here would mean buying them from fences that always have their prices sky high!

It all clicked into Kazuki's mind. The reason why she had a less comfortable place for living, the reason why she was missing money the past couple of days even with her successful profession as a doctor...

This was insane.

Kazuki started to sweat bullets, finding no words to say to the woman. "A-Are you sure you want to give me these Tamayo-san?" he blurted out. "How can I ever pay you back for them?!"

"You don't have to pay me anything, silly boy. It's a gift to my son!" she said, smiling sweetly.

Son.

Now that was a word he hadn't heard in a long time. Coming from Tamayo, it made him feel funny on the inside.

Tamayo then looked at him expectantly. "Stop gawking at them and try them on."

Of course she would want him to try them on.

"Uh, sure..." Kazuki said, taking off his glasses and handing them to Tamayo. His vision got very blurry, courtesy of his condition. Yushiro quickly handed him the lenses.

He then slowly but surely started to move the lenses and carefully placed them on top of his eyes. Kazuki grunted; it hurt like hell at first but he would have to get used to them.

He blinked once. Then twice.

His blurry vision then started to be replaced by a perfect sight: no stains, no scratches, and he didn't feel the weight of having normal glasses on his face.

It was like a blessing.

"Can you see?" Tamayo asked.

"As good as a bird..." Kazuki said absentmindedly. He was feeling overwhelmed by all the kindness Tamayo had given to him. "I-I don't know what to-" He choked up a bit. "Thank you!"

"This will greatly benefit you in battle. You won't have to worry about your glasses being destroyed. Just remember that you will—"

Kazuki couldn't even think at this point and dashed to Tamayo to give her a big hug, which took her aback. He didn't blame her for being surprised by this action; the last time he hugged her was a long time ago. Ever since then, he was usually reserved, rarely showing overwhelming emotion.

"Thank you, for everything you have done for me." he sniffed, tears flowing down his face. "I-I'm gonna miss you Tamayo-san, really, I won't forget what you've done for me..."

Tamayo smiled, allowing the tears from her eyes to flow as well. She hugged him back. "And I will pray for your success, my boy..."

Kazuki kept hugging Tamayo for a while until he started to hear a low—but menacing—growl in his direction. He opened his eyes and saw Yushiro giving him one of the deadliest glares he could muster.

The white-haired boy didn't have time to understand the meaning behind the glare and grabbed Yushiro by his sleeve, pulling him into the hug.

"And thank you too, Yushiro, for always being there to give me a slap in the face every time I screwed up."

The scowl of the demon was replaced by a mad blush, not because he was so close to Kazuki, but because he was dangerously close to Tamayo. He began to sweat bullets, desperately looking for a way out.

"Y-Yeah... look, you're freaking me out. Let me go!" Yushiro shrieked, effectively freeing himself from Kazuki's grip.

He pulled away from the hug and briefly looked again at the people that had kept him here.

Tamayo frowned and lightly elbowed Yushiro. The demon boy looked away, embarrassed, but then gave in and made his way to Kazuki. He lightly pressed a fist against the boy's chest.

"Stay safe..."

He was still looking away, but the gesture counted either way.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Kazuki's face, briefly thinking about the moments he had with both demons. He bowed his head.

"Well, I'm off."

It was just another day for Tsuyuri Kanao.

Get up, eat, help at the estate, train, and sleep. Rinse and repeat.

She occasionally went to missions and when she did, she was sent alone. It was best to send her alone as she was not that good when it came to teamwork.

That's why it was surprising for her when someone asked for her help on a mission. As usual, she tossed her coin so it could decide whether she should go or not. Heads would be yes and tails would be no.

The coin landed on her palm.

She got heads.

Luckily, she wouldn't have to worry about the people getting in the way since she knew the person who asked for her help.

She just needed him to get moving. Which was the hardest part.

Arriving at the local village of Yono, Kanao found herself being waved at by the local townsfolk, in which she waved back at them with a smile as was common courtesy. She walked as she tried to find her destination. It was evening, so the only local food stand must have had its lights on by now.

She finally stopped as her eyes landed on the particular place in question.

It was an Izakaya.

Izakayas were traditional japanese bars that were scattered all around Japan. They were highly popular all around the country, but it was not a place Kanao should've been visiting at her age.

Not like she had a choice now.

'Charming…'

The place was relatively small on the outside, built with mostly muddy oak wood, two paper lamps on both ends. The front door was covered in cheap checkered blankets that looked like they were taken out of the trash.

Despite its less than appealing style, the sounds inside were a giveaway that the place was quite popular around this village. Maybe it was because it was the only bar in town.

She made her way inside of the establishment, hoping to find the people she was looking for.

"Hahaa~! I knew he was alive, Kyojuro! I just can't belieeeeeeve it, I thought I had lost him forever!"

"That's excellent news Junichiro! I never knew you had a brother in the first place!"

There they were. The two men she must go with on this mission. They were sitting next to each other as they laughed at the top of their lungs. It made customers and the caterer visibly uncomfortable.

The difference was that one was sober, while the other one had an extremely red face which meant that he was on the verge of falling over.

The sober one was a guy with long messy yellow hair with red streaks around it. The most noticeable thing about him was his unusually large eyebrows and his bright golden eyes. This was the Flame Pillar, Rengoku Kyojuro, and he was one of the people that would accompany Kanao on this mission.

The drunk one looked slightly older than Kyojuro. He had long white hair with blue streaks tied in a ponytail, similar to the samurai from the Sengoku Era. He was very tall, passing 180 centimeters. He had icy blue eyes, thin eyebrows, and a defined jawline. He wore the standard Demon Slayer uniform and on top of it, he had a long white haori that had sky blue patterns, like a rift. The most notable thing about him was that he was missing his left arm, which was why his left sleeve looked like a waving flag. This was the Ice Pillar, Miyamoto Junichiro, Kanao's older stepbrother.

He didn't seem to notice Kanao's blank stare as he kept laughing over and over. However, Kyojuro did notice her and waved his hand enthusiastically.

"Ah, Tsuyuri-chan! What brings you to this fine establishment?" Kyojuro asked, taking a sip from his bottled water.

"The mission," Kanao said. "We're supposed to go on a mission to Mt. Natagumo to check on the missing slayers."

Kyojuro blinked, pondering his thoughts for a moment before his eyes lit up. "Oh yeah, I remember now. Sorry, Tsuyuri-chan I guess I was a bit too immersed in my talk with Junichiro that I lost track of what I had to do. Did you know that his blood brother is alive? I was just as surprised as he was when I—"

Kanao lost track of what the Flame Pillar was saying as she focused on one tiny detail. Junichiro had family outside of the Butterfly Estate? That was... surprising. He never talked about it in the times he was with her or Shinobu.

So this is why he looked so elated this morning.

"—and then he took down 2 demons without effort. He must be very strong, yes? I would probably make him my Tsugoku if I saw him. Yeah, I definitely would, no question—"

"Rengoku-san," Kanao said, causing Kyojuro to stop mid-sentence. "The mission."

"Oh, my bad! I tend to get carried away when I'm talking!" Kyojuro said with a little bit too much force. Kanao didn't pay too much mind as she glanced at Junichiro, who was currently drooling on the counter.

"Is Nii-san okay?"

"Oh, him?!" Kyojuro jerked a thumb to the person in question. "He's fine. He just had too much to drink in one night. I would have followed him in that regard but due to personal reasons I will not!"

Kanao felt a little bit of sweat dripping on her forehead. He really didn't have to say that out loud.

"We have no time," Kanao said, pulling out a vial that contained a brilliant, purple liquid. "Nee-san said that if I found him in that state, he should drink this."

Kyojuro perked up and took the small item from her hands. Puzzled, he asked, "And what is this purple stuff?"

"Medicine," Kanao replied with a smile. "It should help him to recover quickly. Rengoku-san, would you please make him drink it?"

Kyojuro beamed. "But of course!" He flipped the vial like a coin and grabbed it midair. "It will be my pleasure."

He then turned to the fallen Junichiro and placed the vial in front of his face. "Hey Junichiro, drink this medicine. It will fix you up in a matter of seconds!"

Junichiro slowly opened one of his eyes and frowned. He grunted and quickly looked away from him. "I don't wanna."

Kyojuro slapped Junichiro's back in an attempt to gain his attention. "Quit being a child, we have to go on a mission!" Only for the Pillar to harshly swing his head face flat on the counter.

"No!"

Kanao just stood there as she stared blankly at them. She would just watch them go.

Kyojuro grinned from ear to ear. "Alright then..." He removed the cork from the vial and pulled the white-haired man by the back of his uniform, who was too drunk to even react in time. "Keep in mind you brought this upon yourself!"

"What are you-"

Junichiro didn't have time to finish as Kyojuro forcefully opened his mouth and drove the purple liquid inside. The drunk pillar widened his eyes and quickly slapped his hands away from him. He then spat all of the vial's contents to the floor.

Kyojuro visibly panicked as he quickly used his quick reflexes to catch the falling liquid back into the vial. That was certainly impressive; it seemed that the Flame Pillar wasn't just a title.

This was going to take a while, so Kanao just took a seat beside them and waited patiently.

"I will... NOT drink that." Junichiro spat, letting out a slight burp. "It tastes like shit, so take that vial and stick it up into your—"

Kyojuro tried again to make him drink the medicine. This time he gripped Junichiro's arm tightly and used his other arm to shove the vial inside of his mouth. "Come on, just drink it!"

"I will not!" Junichiro said as he yanked the vial out of Kyojuro's hand and threw it away, only for him to catch it midair.

The Flame Pillar seemed to get fired up for the challenge as he let a wide toothy grin form on his face.

"I wasn't asking!"

Their bickering triggered unwanted looks towards them, not that they cared, they always acted like no one was around them. If they kept going with this, they would surely get kicked out.

Not like it mattered to Kanao, she knew how things worked regarding these two. Ever since she was brought to the Butterfly Estate at the age of 11, she had always perceived Kyojuro and Junichiro as inseparable, so she was very used to their shenanigans.

"Quit it!" Junichiro turned his head away from the incoming vial. Kyojuro grinned mischievously, having anticipated the horrible attempt to avoid the medicine. He raised his fist.

"I'm very sorry for this!"

Kyojuro drove a hard punch towards the Ice Pillar's gut, making him wince harshly, which forced him to catch his breath.

"Kyojuro, you son of a-"

He couldn't finish his sentence as the Flame Pillar drove the vial once again to his mouth. This time, he made sure he swallowed every last drop.

"There you go." Kyojuro grinned, finally letting his friend go. "That wasn't so hard now wasn't it?"

Junichiro's face twisted into disgust as he gagged on the taste of the medicine. He then started to blink, seemingly puzzled about the aftertaste. He started to touch every part of his body and his face, eagerly waiting for the medicine to take its effect.

"Apart from that it tastes like horse shit, no, it wasn't hard," Junichiro said, letting out a chuckle. His face was still red, so the effects of the alcohol were still there. "Is this supposed to do something?"

Kyojuro hummed, seemingly disappointed that the Ice Pillar was still drunk. He then turned to look at Kanao. "Tsuyuri-chan, was that medicine supposed to do something?"

The girl didn't say anything, she just kept on her ever-present smile and waited for the medicine to take effect. Her sister did say that the medicine took a second before taking effect.

Junichiro seemed to finally notice that Kanao was there as he let out a big, genuine smile.

"Ah~ my lovely little sis, what are you doing here? Are you finally going to give your brother a big hug—"

Junichiro's eyes widened as he let out a small burp. Then another one.

He then clenched his stomach tightly as he started to gag harshly. Murmurs and panicking came over the customers as they watched the Ice Pillar's cheeks puff up. Kanao was also visibly surprised. She didn't know what this medicine did to him.

Junichiro didn't waste any more time as he stood up from the stool and quickly ran out of the bar as fast as the wind. After a couple of seconds of silence, the sounds of barfing could be heard from outside of the establishment.

Kyojuro gawked, having not expected that reaction at all. It seems like he expected the medicine to be more discreet in its execution. The Flame Pillar glanced at Kanao, silently waiting for an explanation.

"Nee-san did say that the medicine will remove the alcohol from his body," Kanao explained, visibly uncomfortable too. "She didn't specify how."

Kyojuro blinked before letting out a wholehearted laugh. "Ha! This is definitely something Kocho would do!"

Just as Kyojuro was laughing, the entrance of the cart opened. Junichiro's face was now normal, showing that the effects of the medicine had worked. However, he looked very upset.

"I'm going to kill her..."

"So, are you alright now, partner?" Kyojuro asked, oblivious to his rage.

"My entire body is burning and my mouth smells like rotten eggs."

"Great! You seem sober now. Do you need something?"

"Water. A lot," Junichiro said as he rubbed his temples. "And a quick summary on what the mission was supposed to be again."

After Junichiro drank approximately two liters of water in ten minutes, he seemed to be feeling like his usual self. He wasn't completely sober, as the aftereffects of the alcohol left him with a lingering hangover, but at least he could think properly now. Kanao had told him every detail about the mission, from the missing slayers to the obvious demonic presence that lingered there.

He took a sip from his pipe—a kiseru—and exhaled, letting the smoke come out freely out of his mouth. This was an item he usually carried around ever since the fateful day when Kanao's big sister, Kocho Kanae passed away.

"So we have to go to Mt. Natagumo to rescue missing rookies and deal with the demon threat," Junichiro mused, as he placed the kiseru inside his uniform. He then rested his hand on his chin. "And we're the ones who are the nearest..."

"That pretty much sums it up!" Kyojuro yelled, quickly standing up from his stool. "Well then, we should waste no more time. The longer we stay here, the more people are in danger!"

Kanao stood up, getting ready to go as well. She double-checked her gear to see that everything was in order. Kyojuro was right, there was no reason for them to linger any longer in this place.

However, her brother seemed to not be moving from his spot. He was still frozen, deeply in thought.

Kyojuro seemed to notice and poked him in the forehead. "Hey Junichiro, you there?"

That seemed to bring him back to reality as he recoiled a little from the Flame Pillar's poke. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... I wanted to go to Asakusa to investigate the whereabouts of my brother." He sighed, eyes glued to the ground. "I guess that has to wait..."

Kanao blinked, not understanding what her brother meant. Was this really more important than his responsibility as a slayer? Even Kyojuro frowned when Junichiro said that. It was really preposterous.

However, Kyojuro placed a hand on his shoulder, a gesture that seemed to gain the Ice Pillar's attention.

"Don't worry, Junichiro. He can wait for another time," he said, his tone firm. "What you're saying is absolute selfishness! Remember, saving lives comes first. Our desires come after."

Junichiro looked to the side, ashamed. "Yeah, I know... sorry."

"If it makes you feel better, I'll go to look for him with you after the mission!" Kyojuro shouted, with his fist raised high. The sudden change of attitude made Kanao recoil back.

It was really hard to understand how the Flame Pillar radiated so much intensity. He really had the eye of the tiger. Kanao had trouble understanding people in general, but it was pretty easy to understand the Pillar, even for her.

It appeared that Kyojuro's words didn't ease Junichiro's distress, but at least it led him to grasp an understanding of what he had to do. He grinned, having come to a decision.

"You're right. Thanks, Kyojuro."